White River National Forest · Colorado
Surprise Trail
2.4 mi of trail, end to end · native material surface · trail No. 62 · trail class 2 · typical grade trail_grade · tread 18-24 inches wide · hiking, horse
Trailhead Surprise Lake Trailhead #62 Drive there
Surprise Lake Trailhead #62 the Forest Service's write-up
Surprise Lake is in the northern portion of the Gore Range in the Eagles Nest Wilderness. The beginning of the trail passes through aspen groves and spruce/fir forests. Eventually, the trail climbs steadily up to the lake. Surprise Lake is nestled in the trees and is a great place to relax and enjoy the scenery. An abundance of wildflowers can be seen from mid-June through early July along this trail.
Restrictions Open to Hike and Horse Only. The trail enters the Eagles Nest Wilderness Area.
This trailhead on fs.usda.gov
Every trail in White River National Forest
About this trail's facts
The lines are the US Forest Service's National Forest System trails layer (public domain), read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end, and the class, surface, grade and tread width are the forest's own entries where it publishes them - a forest that publishes the centreline alone has none. The trailheads and the points along the way are the Service's recreation points, and the write-ups its own recarea text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the forest's own site before you go.
